


At the Tavern Again

by Naumaxia



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur is confused, Bisexual Gwaine (Merlin), Friends to Lovers, Gay Disasters, Gwaine Being Gwaine, Gwaine discovers Merlin’s magic, Gwen is holding all of Camelot together, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27416320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naumaxia/pseuds/Naumaxia
Summary: In which Merlin is afraid of relationships,Gwaine is convinced Arthur and Merlin are together,And Arthur thinks Gwaine and Merlin are already together. Why else would Merlin always be at the damn Tavern?
Relationships: Gwaine/Merlin (Merlin), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 103





	1. This is all Arthur’s fault

**Author's Note:**

> Just finished watching Merlin a few days ago and damn did they do Gwaine dirty in that last episode. So here is a short little fic I wrote to make myself feel better, Enjoy :)
> 
> Also working on a fanart for these two precious beans so feel free to check out my Instagram or YouTube (both called Naumaxia) to see how that turns out

Arthur paced back and forth incessantly, running his hands through his hair and sighing approximately every 3-4 minutes.  
“I might be way off here,” Gwen smiled crossing the room toward him. “But I feel like something is bothering you?”  
“Where the hell is Merlin?” He was so frustrated with this. Every other week Merlin seemed to vanish off to who knows where, and he simply couldn’t accept it any longer. “How am I meant to get ready in the morning with our him?”  
Gwen raised an eyebrow at him and grinned.  
“I am sure you can cope.” She said, “after all I think the mighty king of Camelot can button his own shirt if he really tries.”  
“Shush.” Arthur pouted at her and folded his arms in protest.  
“Have you asked Gaius?” She suggested more helpfully.  
“Gaius will say the same thing he always does.” Arthur groaned. “Always trying to cover for him, I bet you he’s in the tavern again!”  
“And why would he be there?”  
“Isn’t it obvious?” Arthur grumbled. But then an idea dawned on him so he continued, “But I do know how to put a stop to it!”

——

Gwaine strolled casually along the corridor towards the kings chambers. He had no clue why Arthur had summoned him, but as he was convinced he hadn’t done anything (well anything serious) wrong recently. He figured he had nothing to worry about. Besides Merlin would probably be around and it had been a while since he had gotten a chance to see his old friend. Somehow all his knightly duties were getting in the way, but it was probably worth it to get to stay in Camelot. It was weird how meeting Merlin had lead to him having a home for the first time in forever. Although if he stopped to think about it maybe it wasn’t that strange at all.   
“Princess,” he declared, strolling into the room. “I believe you summoned me? Is my favourite damsel in distress again?”  
“Gwaine...” Arthur sighed, “do try and remember I am your King. At least occasionally?”  
Gwaine shrugged and grinned at him.  
“I have a favour to ask.” Arthur said calmly.  
“Alright, shoot.” The knight replied.  
“Next time you feel the need to go snog my manservant could you please wait till he is off duty. I do have things to get done and it is practically impossible when Merlin is vanishing every few days like a stray cat.”  
“I’m sorry?” Gwaine searched his kings face for some sign that this was all a big joke, and found nothing. He felt his heart rate speed up to an unhealthy level. Sure, Merlin was cute, and the best friend he had ever had, but why on earth did Arthur think he was going around snogging him? That would be crazy right? I mean probably would feel brilliant, but it was completely crazy. “I have no idea what you’re on about my Lord.”  
“Come on I don’t have time for this.” Arthur sighed before Gwaine’s words caught up to him, specifically the use of ‘my Lord’ as opposed to ‘princess’. “You actually don’t have any idea do you?”  
“Not. A. Clue.” He said slowly. “Why would Merlin be with me and not you? After all he is your servant, makes no sense.”  
“Well he’s never here, so I assumed he was in the tavern because that’s where you-...” he cut himself off. “We’re going to pretend I didn’t say that. Probably not a good look for a king to be too involved in gossip.” Arthur said slowly. “Yeah I didn’t say that, and that’s an order.”  
“I’m going to leave now...” Gwaine slowly started to walk backwards, heart thrumming in his chest. “Good day princess.” And with that he turned on his heel and left as fast as he could, trying not to let it show on his face how confused and maybe secretly happy he was. One thought did cross his mind though, Merlin could not know about this. If he did Gwaine doubted they would ever have a normal conversation again. 

——

Merlin sat awkwardly on the corner of a bench, searching for an excuse to leave. Elyan and Percival had been desperate for him to come out with them earlier and now he found himself in the tavern... He had actually been doing work for Gaius this time as well! But he had almost resigned himself to the punishment he was sure to face tomorrow, he suspected Arthur never would have believed him anyway. Why did that infuriating man always assume the worst of him?  
“You alright there mate?” Percival asked, giving him a sideways glance.  
“Arthur is going to kill me...” he groaned setting his head down on the table. “I’m blaming you two.” He mumbled.  
“Right then.” Elyan announced. “We’re getting some drinks in you. With any luck you’ll forget it’s our fault at all.” He grinned.   
“I really shouldn’t-“ Merlin started to protest before Percival slammed a tankard down on the table in front of him. I mean they had bought it now... couldn’t hurt to have one drink?  
Four drinks later the pub door swung open and Gwaine strolled in. An accidental smile crossed Merlin’s face.   
“Damn do I need a drink!” He declared loudly searching the room for his friends. His eyes locked with Merlin for a second and his face paled. Theystarted at each other for a few seconds. “Onsecondthoughtsimgood.” He mumbled quickly, before spinning around and heading to the door.  
Elyan raised an eyebrow at Merlin, who shrugged, exceptionally confused. Percival stood up.  
“I’ll get him.” He said, crossing the room in a handful of long strides and grabbing Gwaine by the wrist, dragging him back to the table like a pouty child.  
“Drink,” Elyan said sharply, placing a tankard (where did he keep getting them from?) in front of Gwaine. “And then you can calm down and explain yourself.” “I’m fine!” Gawaine protested, punching Percival lightly on the arm. “I have never seen you run out of a tavern before.” Elyan pointed out. “No one would believe me if I told them either. Something is clearly wrong.”  
Gwaine seemed frustrated by this and instead of doing as he was told, he seemed to opt for simultaneously drinking and explaining, ending in a series of slurred words such ‘princess’, ‘how dare’, ‘tavern’, and ‘idiot’.  
“Sorry?” Merlin laughed, unable to understand a word. Gwaine glanced at him before grabbing Merlins drink and downing that too.  
“Not today guys.” He said giving them all a look.  
“You ok?” Elyan asked, both him and Percival now dropping the teasing.  
“It’s not important.” Gwaine laughed shaking his hair out. “What have all you been up to?”  
“Alright then,” Elyan smiled. “Merlin needs help,”  
“I need ideas to get me out of trouble with Arthur?” Merlin requested.  
“Just don’t tell him you’ve seen me.” Gwaine groaned, searching with his eyes for the waitress.   
“What did you do now?” Merlin had a exasperated smile on his face. He was always bailing Gwaine out of trouble. Not that he minded, hearing about the knights latest escapades was always fun.   
“Nothing,” Gwaine assured them. This was followed by a dead silence and an atmosphere of disbelief. “I swear!”  
“Ok if you say so.” Merlin replied, shaking his head and laughing, resulting in a weak smile from Gwaine. He grinned back at him and put a hand on his shoulder.  
“You’ll be fine, I am sure whatever Arthur thinks you did can’t be that bad. I can ask him about it tomorrow if you like?” He offered.  
“Nah don’t bother.” Gwaine tried to say casually, a nervous chuckle betraying him.  
“Sure, ok.” Merlin decided now would be an appropriate time to stare into the bottom of his tankard. It felt really strange knowing Gwaine didn’t want his help. Like a strange emptiness? He didn’t even seem to want to talk to Merlin at all, like he was avoiding him for some reason...

Another unknown number of drinks later and Merlin was honestly not even sure what the time was. The knights were in the middle of some muddled conversation about a funny hunting trip... maybe? He wasn’t sure.  
“I should... home... Arthur...” he murmured, he thought he saw some concerned looks. Maybe Gwaine did care. Then the table came rushing towards his face. 

——

When Gwaine woke up he was hit by a strange sense of Deja vu. Between a painful headache and blurry eyes it took him a little while to work out exactly where he was. And when he did he sat bolt upright, adrenaline racing through his veins. He knew this room, this was Merlin’s room. This was Merlin’s bed... oh sh-!  
He leapt up and raced towards the door, then realised he could hear a noise on the other side. Probably just Gaius. This wasn’t the first time he had woken up in Merlin’s bed, unsure of why, but this time it mattered a lot more. Sleeping with a random stranger by mistake was no where near as terrifying as sleeping with his friend. His closest friend. Maybe he should just flee? Leave Camelot, go back to a life on the road, roam the world alone again. But he didn’t want to be alone, not really. Deciding it would be better not to risk going out through the door incase someone was there, he hoisted himself up and out the window, then clambered down the wall on the other side, before making a beeline back to the knights quarters.  
When he was back in his room and had taken a few deep breaths, he started to see things more calmly. The good news was he still had his breeches on, which was more than he could say for some drunken adventures in the past. However that did not change the fact that he had no idea where his shirt was, and had woken up in Merlin’s bed. Alone... 

He sank down onto his bed, head in his hands. What on earth had happened last night?

——

“Merlin,” Arthur called across the room.  
“Yes?” He looked up.  
“Are you alright?”  
“Quite alright,” he gritted his teeth together and went back to scrubbing the floor.  
“Are you sure about that?” Arthur was smiling, a slightly evil looking smile to be honest.   
“Leave him be.” Gwen chided.  
“He’s been scrubbing the same tile for fifteen minutes now.” Arthur stated with a sigh. “I figured if he was quiet he would at least be productive.”  
“Why don’t you take some time off Merlin?” Gwen offered.  
“No thank you.” He replied possibly a little bit too fast. “Unless... which knights are on patrol right now?”  
“Leon, Percival, Kai,” Arthur started listing. “Wait why do you care?”  
“No reason.” Merlin replied, “I’ll go do the laundry.” He said calmly standing up, and walking across the room to grab the basket of clothes. “Feel free to call me any time you need me. Any time at all,” he offered knowing Arthur would find a multitude of ways to keep him busy, then he left.  
Once he had made it out the room he strolled quickly down the corridor back in the direction of his own room, checking round each corner quickly to make sure he didn’t run into the wrong person. When he did reach his room his heart rate started to pick up. Gaius was out so there was no way to ask if anyone had left his room that morning, he just had to hope. He slowly counted to three, and then swung the door open. It was empty... perfect. Just what he had wanted...  
He had left in such a hurry that morning that he hadn’t had time to grab a clean pair of clothes or anything, and was glad for a chance to change. Just as he was leaving he spotted blue fabric in the corner of the room. Gwaine’s shirt.  
He picked it up , smiling ruefully as his thoughts traveled back to last night. 

...

They had had too many drinks by far, and he had passed out after a while. When he woke he was being carried along the corridor by Gwaine who had grinned down at him.  
“Glad to see your up.” He had said, dropping Merlin back into his feet.   
“Huh?” He had responded, probably trying to say something profound but slurring his words.  
“Let’s get you back to your room.” He helped Merlin through the door and sat him on his bed, then brought him a glass of water, stumbling slightly as he crossed the room and spilling some down his shirt. He chuckled lightly and handed the glass to Merlin who sipped it slowly.  
“Thank you,” he mumbled.  
“No problem mate.” Gwaine grinned and turned for the door.  
“Wait... Gwinn,” Merlin called, mumbling over his name. “Do you hate me now?” He asked, staring up at his friend.  
“What? No!” Gwaine smiled sadly at him. “I could never hate you Merlin.”  
“But you’re upset,” Merlin got up and staggered across the room to Gwaine, grabbing his face clumsily in his hands. “Did I do something wrong?”  
“Erm... no,” Gwaine replied with a slight chuckle. His face was getting red but at the time Merlin had assumed it was the alcohol. “Do you hate me Merlin?”   
“Never,” he shook his head furiously.  
“Then I can’t be upset can I?” Gwaine grinned.  
“Mhm,” Merlin felt himself start to fall again and grabbed hold of Gwaine’s shirt to stop himself falling over. “Ew, you’re all soggy.” He laughed, wiping his hands on that same shirt.   
“I’ll fix it,” the knight grinned back, walking Merlin back to the bed to stop the young warlock falling over again. And then he grabbed the offending shirt and took it off, throwing it into a corner. “Problem solved.” He declared with a smug expression. Merlin didn’t say anything and only stared. In his defence who wouldn’t...  
“What you looking at?” Gwaine asked with a laugh. He sat down next to Merlin and stared at him, as if he was trying to figure him out.  
“You’re hot.” Merlin said bluntly. Then gasped realising what he had just said.  
“You’re hot,” Gwaine replied with a smirk.  
Merlin did not know what came over him in that moment, it was not a smart move, he shouldn’t have done it... but he couldn’t seem to stop himself leaning in and kissing Gwaine very gently on the lips. And Gwaine kissed him back, surprisingly just as soft.  
“That was very nice.” Gwaine grinned, before giggling slightly.  
“You’re very nice,” Merlin responded lying back on his bed and grinning ear to ear and gazing up at the ceiling.  
Gwaine lay back next to him and kissed him again happily. 

...

He had been so stupid. Stupid and drunk, and Gwaine must have been drunk as anything too. And as much as he hated to admit it, with Gwaine’s reputation chances were that this really was all one horrible mistake. And even if it wasn’t... he couldn’t start something now. It wasn’t that Gwaine was a guy. He had had a crush on Arthur for a short while when he first came to Camelot, and honestly things with Gwaine were much easier and more relaxed than they had ever been with Arthur. No this was more about his secrets. Between prophecies and magic and all that secrecy and nonsense, he just didn’t have time to start something with someone. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt again. Even if that someone made him feel happier than he remembered being in a long time. Even if that someone was someone he really did care about in that way. It just wasn’t possible

——

“Let me get this straight,” Lancelot said with an audible level of exasperation. “Arthur thinks you like Merlin?”  
“Yes.” Gwaine replied eyes glued on the floor. His head was still whirring.  
“And you got drunk and kissed him?” He asked again. Gwaine had remembered what had happened eventually. Not all of it but bits and pieces, and after a few hours he realised he couldn’t possibly keep it all to himself anymore. So he went looking for the only person who was as close to Merlin as he was (besides the princess of course.)  
“I mean technically he kissed me,” Gwaine said very slowly.  
“Then what’s the problem?” Lancelot asked, seemingly very confused. “I mean you could kiss anyone drunk at a bar,”  
“Oi!”  
“It’s true.” Lance said pointedly. “However Merlin isn’t like you. Even drunk I don’t think he’s the sort of person who would kiss anyone he didn’t have feelings for.”  
“You mean he likes me?” Gwaine asked, his doubts clear in his tone. “Nah ah, no way.”  
“And why not may I ask?”  
“Because.” Gwaine replied defiantly. “A guy like that deserves much better than me, and you know it.”  
“His poor choice in crush is hardly my fault,” Lancelot laughed, receiving a scowl from his friend.  
“It doesn’t matter,” Gwaine sighed, standing up and dusting off his breeches. “Princess likes him, even I’m not gutsy enough to try win that fight.”  
Lancelot shook his head and laughed.  
“It’s not funny,” Gwaine protested.  
“Oh it is very funny,” Lancelot said with a grin. “Who would have thought it, the rebellious Sir Gwaine actually in love for once.”  
“Shut up...” he groaned throwing a gauntlet across the room at Lancelot.

“Think about it,”


	2. This time it’s still Arthur’s fault

The first time Merlin saw Gwaine again after everything that happened, nothing happened. They were out in a hunt with the king and other knights. There was no opportunity to talk, barely even a chance to share a meaningful look across the trail. In fact if Merlin didn’t know better he would say Gwaine was purposely avoiding looking at him. It stung a bit that thought but he supposed he didn’t want it to go anywhere and so simply forgetting it ever happened would be the best option.  
A few days later though and the inevitable came to pass. Merlin was sat by a river, refilling water skins for the whole group, when he heard a rustle in the trees behind him. He slowly pulled a dagger from his belt and turned around.  
“Who’s there?” He called out.  
“It’s only me!” A resigned voice came from the bushes and Gwaine stepped out, his hands held up apologetically. “Arthur sent me to check you were alive, but I didn’t want to bother you.”  
“Ok.” Merlin said quietly before turning back to him the river. A dead silence filled the air.   
“You’ve been avoiding me.” Gwiane stated quietly. “Not that I blame you.”  
“You’ve been avoiding me.” Merlin replied simply. “Don’t worry I get it,” he felt himself start to ramble, “I should have apologised sooner, it wasn’t fair of me what I did, oh and I forgot to give your shirt back, I’m sorry I just didn’t want it to become some big awkward thing. Which I guess it has now and that is completely my fault, I know that. I never should have done it and I am so sorry for disrupting your life like that. I can’t apologise enough.”  
“I understand,” Gwaine smiled a fake smile. “Everyone does things they regret when they’re that drunk. I know I have before.”  
“Before?” Merlin asked before he could stop himself. “Wait no don’t answer that.”  
“Want to go back to pretending all this never happened?” Gwiane asked with a shrug and a sympathetic smile.   
“I think that is for the best,” Merlin almost whispered the words, staring resolutely into the river.  
“Yeah that makes sense.”

——

“Merlin has not smiled in over a week,” Arthur noted suddenly one morning at breakfast.  
“Yes I had noticed that.” Gwen replied.  
“I wonder why...?” Arthur mused. Then he started to stand up. “Oh well-“  
“Sit back down.” Gwen grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the table.  
“What did I do?” He asked in mild confusion.   
She raised an eyebrow at him but got no response.  
“Something obviously happened between him and Gwaine!” She said exasperated. “You basically outed Merlin’s feelings for him the other week, clearly he felt the same?”  
“Wait...?” A realisation dawned on Arthur. “They aren’t together?”  
“I love you Arthur.” Gwen said patiently, a hand on his arm, “but sometimes you can be really oblivious.”  
“But they can’t go three minutes without flirting?” He exclaimed in shock, “how are they not together?”  
“Well they aren’t,” Gwen stated very matter of fact, “and you are going to go fix it.”  
“But Why me?” He protested. Gwen shot him a look. “Fine! I’ll talk to Gwaine.”  
“Good,” Gwen replied with a happy smile. “Off you go then.”  
Arthur grumbled the whole way down to the knights quarters where he stood arms folded in the door way.   
“Gwaine,” he called, “we’re going for a walk.”  
“What did you do this time?”  
“Nothing I swear.” Gwaine groaned. Not again...

The two of them slowly walked along a wooded path just outside the city walls. Arthur tried not to let his boredom show, but did notice gwaine anxiously fiddling with that necklace of his.   
“What do you need princess?” Gwaine asked, clearly trying to keep a straight face.  
“Remember that favour I asked of you?” Arthur prompted.  
“What about Merlin?” Gwaine asked although he knew the answer. “I haven’t spoken to him all week, just like you asked.” There was a slightly accusatory tone to his voice.   
“Well I may, emphasis on the word may, have made a slight mistake when I asked you that.” Arthur replied.  
“Oh for gods sake what now.” Gwaine groaned. “If I have to take much more of this nonsense I might just go back to drinking my way across the country.”  
“Erm... don’t do that...” Arthur responded, clearly slightly disgusted. “No I wanted to apologise for that request. I hadn’t realised you and Merlin weren’t... you know, together.”  
“Oh.” Gwaine said simply. “Wait what?” He flipped his head round to actually look at Arthur for the first time.   
“I thought the two of you were dating, turns out your not,” he responded, “Gwen wanted me to apologise.”  
“Always did like her,” Gwaine grinned. “But I thought you only asked me to stay away from Merlin cause you like him?” He asked, brow furrowing in confusion.  
“I’m married!” Arthur replied indignantly.  
“Well...”  
“No ‘well’,” he shot back. “I love Gwenyvere and that is that.”  
“Poor Merlin.” Gwaine mumbled quietly to himself. Arthur let out a large sigh of exasperation.  
“I can’t believe I am doing this.” He groaned, before turning and looking Gwaine in the eyes. “Merlin does not like me he likes you.” He enunciated each word as if speaking to a small child. “Honestly anyone could see it. Merlin sees me shirtless every day and doesn’t bat an eyelid and yet have you seen the colour his face goes when you so much as roll up your sleeves?” He paused for breath. “Ew I can’t believe I just said that.” He shook his head a couple times and took a deep breath. Gwen may claim this was all his fault but he had had enough of it already. “Anyway I am sorry if I caused you any trouble. Good day Sir Gwaine,” he called out before turning and heading back the way they had come. Gwaine didn’t move an inch. 

—— 

It had been a long time since Gwaine had done this much thinking, and his head hurt from it all. Merlin didn’t like Arthur, and Arthur wasn’t in love with Merlin. But Merlin had turned him down. There could be a hundred reasons he was well aware, it’s not exactly like he was great boyfriend material. But Merlin had completely shut him down, and somehow that gave him reason to hope that maybe it was something more than Gwaine’s drunken past holding Merlin back. Maybe there could be hope that he would change his mind. The question is what was stopping him? 

It had taken a while but Gwaine thought maybe he had worked it out, and if he hadn’t at least he had an excuse to ask. He had called in a favour with Elyan who had made sure Merlin would be sent herb picking on this particular trail today so all he had to do was wait. Wait and try not to chicken out more accurately.   
As Merlin rounded the corner Gwaine stood up and said a quiet ‘hey there,’ to announce his presence.  
“Gwaine,” Merlin nodded at him, suddenly tensing in his shoulders even if he didn’t let it show on his face.  
“Can we talk?” Gwaine asked gesturing to a clear bit of ground they could sit on.  
“Um, sure,” Merlin replied sitting down awkwardly across from him.  
“You don’t have a crush on Arthur? Do you?” Gwaine asked, jumping straight to the point.  
“No,” Merlin’s nose crinkled up in something Gwaine presumed was disgust. “At least not for a long time. Why would you think that?”  
“Well when everything happened the other week,” he explained, “I couldn’t think of any other reason for you to turn me down.”  
“Gwaine I-“  
“I know I’m not perfect,” he stated, leaning back on his elbows, and glancing up at the sky, hoping it would calm him. “But you’re not like any other drunken mistake I’ve made before, and I think you know that.”  
“Gwaine I can’t,” Merlin said quite firmly, “we can’t, it just wouldn’t work.”  
“Do you remember when we were in the perilous lands?” Gwaine appeared to change the subject with a slight smile.  
“Yes,”  
“I finally solved the bridge keepers riddle.” Gwaine said with a slight smile. “I’m embarrassed it took me so long to be honest. But when I had the right motivation it was really simple.”  
“Look I have to go-“ Merlin started to protest.  
“Please stay?” It was a simple request but he knew his eyes gave him away. Merlin slowly sat back down.  
“You are the bravest person I have ever met Merlin,” Gwaine said. “But there’s just no way that ‘magic’ is Arthur, so he must be courage. And I was called strength.”  
“It would be unlikely for Arthur to be magic, yes.” Merlin responded, confirming Gwaines suspicion without actually outright saying it.  
“I’m not Arthur,” he said calmly, “I won’t ever use your secret against you.” The last thing he wanted was for Merlin to fear him.  
“Thank you,” Merlin said quietly. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”  
“It’s no big deal,” Gwaine laughed. “Its probably just karma or something.” Merlin smiled at him and Gwaine felt his heart lift.  
“This sort of thing just doesn’t happen to me you know.” Merlin said softly. “And when it does, bad things happen.”  
“I’m sorry,” Gwaine decided not to ask further. “You know my relationship track record is not exactly shining. Never spent more than a few weeks in the same place till I came here.”  
“I remember.” Merlin smiled. “I’m glad Arthur made you a knight. Everyone deserves a place to call home.”  
“I’m not here for Arthur.” He responded before he could stop himself. “Sorry, that wasn’t meant to be any kind of guilt trip. I respect your decision.”  
“I don’t want you to get hurt Gwaine.” Merlin said, now looking only at the dirt between his feet, “you’re too important to me for that.”  
“I get it.” He smiled, and then shot Merlin his famous smirk, “if you ever change your mind I’ll be waiting here for you.” He winked. “As long as we are still friends.”  
Merlin laughed and shook his head. “This way is smarter right?”  
“I dunno,” Gwaine said honestly. “But I like to think I’m a smart man, I know when to give up.” He sat up thinking he might go for a walk. He knew that while he felt kind of happy now in a few hours he was going to crash back down to the reality of what was happening, he wanted to enjoy that happiness whilst he could.  
“Wait Gwinn.” Merlin said almost too quietly, the shortened version of Gwaines name making him want to smile.  
“Yes?” He asked turning to face his friend.  
And then Merlin leaned forward and closed the gap between them, kissing him once more. Only this time Gwaine was fully sober and able to actually enjoy the moment, feeling his heart triple in speed.  
Eventually Merlin backed away and Gwaine closed his eyes, waiting for Merlin to change his mind and reject him once more. He deserved to be able to make that decision without Gwaine pressuring him again.  
“I love you.” They were not the words he had expected to hear.  
“I love you too Merlin,” he responded, still a little unsure of the situation, but owning his eyes nonetheless.  
“Friends just doesn’t seem right. Sorry if that sounds indecisive.” He had an anxious look on his face, the kind that made Gwaine feel a strong urge to hug him. “Do you think we can make this work?” Merlin asked.  
Gwaine looked at him and used a hand to tilt Merlin’s head up to look at him.  
“‘May I?” He asked. Merlin nodded his head slowly smiling. Gwaine leaned down and kissed him once more, properly this time, pulling Merlin in towards him, the two lying in each other’s arms in the grass.  
Eventually they pulled apart.  
“I think this will work,” Gwaine said, looking Merlin up and down with that flirtatious grin on his face. “What do you reckon?”  
“There’s nothing I would like more.”

**Author's Note:**

> Edited this the day after I posted it and added nearly 1000 more words, oops? XD


End file.
